The present invention relates to a device for deterring vandalism to exposed exterior surfaces of structures and, more particularly, to a device for propelling a marking substance onto vandals attempting to destroy structures such as mailboxes.
A common problem faced by homeowners as well as by owners of businesses having mailboxes, as well as receptacles for newspapers, which are located adjacent to a roadway is that vandals will often drive by the mailbox or receptacle and strike it with a baseball bat or other object. The results of such vandalism is typically a dented mailbox or a broken mailbox post which must be replaced. While many owners may be tolerant of such an occurrence if it only occurs once, many homeowners who live in rural areas typically experience such vandalism several times a year and the cost and time involved in replacing mailboxes quickly becomes intolerable.
Several solutions have been proposed for solving this problem including constructing the boxes out of a resilient material such as plastic or rubber. Other solutions include providing a post which may pivot in response to an impact force. While these solutions provide a certain degree of relief from vandalism, they do not deter the vandals from continually returning to strike the mailbox until it eventually deteriorates.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device which may be used in combination with a mailbox, or other structure which may be subject to destruction by impact forces, which device will deter vandals from striking the structure.